Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Underused Plants

Now that you've seen, Edgeworthia, below, how can you not have it? Winter blooms on deciduous stems. Grown as a shrub or small tree depending upon your pruning. Part shade to edge of woodland in the south, full sun to part shade in the north, zones: 5-9. . Pic

Lonicera fragrantissima, below, visually a bore, but once you smell her, you will have her. A gangly shrub, zones: 1-9, with arching canes, sun or shade, plenty of winter blooms to bring inside.

Witch Hazel, below, a small understory tree for shade to part sun. Blooms in winter. Foliage persists through much of winter, beige, boring until you see it dripping with rain/dew backlit by the morning sun. Upon that morning you will know why the universe was invented.

We also have Witch Hazel bordering our property, and like you,I am mesmerized by its bloom. I think the fact that it blooms when all else is going dormant adds to its charm. I will look into Edgworthia and the fragrant honeysuckle you have mentioned, they seem wonderful sensory plants!

I love and need some Edgworthia and Witch Hazel for my woodland garden and/or the hill outside the studio but now you also have me intrigued about the Lonicera Fragrantissima; I'll have to look into that. I wonder where I can see one.

My edgeworthia is my favorite plant in the landscape. It gets 6+ hours of hot afternoon sun (Atlanta, GA), but surprisingly it is phenomenal. Three years in this garden. Easy to divide, but new plantings from it take some time to grow.